Microchip Technology, best known for its low-cost families of PIC microcontrollers, has purchased ZeroG Wireless, a supplier of Wi-Fi-certified transceivers and FCC-certified wireless modules. According to Microchip, the purchase of ZeroG will let microcontroller customers purchase certified Wi-Fi I/O modules and use proven software so they can easily include Wi-Fi communication capabilities in designs.

ZeroG’s "Wi-Fi I/O" brand covers the company's ZG2100 chip and module products, the Easy-Fi suite of software, and development kits that use Microchip and Freescale MCUs. No word yet on how Microchip's purchase will affect support for the products designed with Freescale MCUs. In the meantime, find ZeroG at: www.zerogwireless.com/.

The ZG2100 chip operates as a stand-alone radio with data rates as high as two Mbits/s. According to ZeroG, "The ZG2100 is optimized for low-duty cycle, low-power applications, featuring 4 different power modes, extremely low leakage, and a fast "wake-up" architecture. The ZG2100 contains an on-chip MAC, power amplifier, baseband, and hardware acceleration for WEP, WPA and WPA2."

ZeroG sells the ZG2100 chip incorporated within its ZG2100M module that can operate with or without an overarching operating system. The ZG2100M modules come with certifications from FCC and ETSI, and from Japanese and Canadian regulatory bodies for several antenna types.

For now, ZeroG’s customers should continue to use their usual ZeroG sales and support contacts or links. Microchip will continue to sell the ZeroG ZG2100M and ZG2101M Wi-Fi Modules, the ZeroG IEEE 802.11 Development Kit for Explorer 16 (AC164136) and the ZeroG Wi-Fi PICtail/PICtail Plus Daughter Board (AC164136-2) via the MicrochipDirect Web site at: www.microchipdirect.com.

--Jon Titus